Appleton Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Possession
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 17, 2023, William B. Bowers (age: 42) of Appleton, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.
According to court records, in 1999, Bowers was convicted of two counts of Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Bowers was sentenced to 20 years in state prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
On February 5, 2020, after being released onto supervision, Wisconsin Probation and Parole Agents were contacted by a concerned individual who observed sexually suggestive websites bookmarked on Bowers’ computer. The following day, a search of Bowers’ electronic devices revealed that Bowers was active on numerous illicit websites and social media applications, in violation of the terms of his state supervision and his rules as a lifetime sex offender registrant. Further investigation revealed that several of Bowers’ devices contained child sexual abuse material.
On May 9, 2023, following a series of legal motions and medical evaluations, Bowers entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2).
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the crime, especially in light of Bowers’ history of child sexual abuse. Judge Griesbach determined that a sentence of 180 months’ imprisonment was a fair and just sentence under federal law. Upon the completion of his federal prison sentence, Bowers will spend the remainder of his life on supervised release. He also must continue to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Division of Community Corrections and the City of Menasha Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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